‘Mini’ transportation museum to open in downtown Greenville

03:05 PM, May 14, 2013 |

By Angelia Davis

Filed Under

PRESS RELEASE:
Direct from Mini World of Trains

GREENVILLE, SC – The Mini World of Trains™, a 501c3 non profit corporation, announced the that Miniature World of Trains has leased a location in the Historic West End of Greenville, SC at 7 West Camperdown Way just across from Michelin On Main and the main entrance to Falls Park.

The venue is scheduled to open Thanksgiving Weekend Saturday November 30th, 2013 and will feature the long anticipated Miniature World of Trains™ Beta Version (MWOT-B™) , the 3rd Annual Christmas Model Train 2013 version as well as the Transportation Museum of the World “Mini Museum”™.

According to Frank Ruby, Chairman and President of the Miniature World of Trains™, “Over the last three years thousands of people have been awaiting the announcement of a viable location for The Miniature World Of Trains™ project. Thanks to the enthusiasm and understanding of our financial situation, the Tony Harper and the Harper Family of the Camperdown building will allow us to be able to bring the Beta version of the Miniature World of Trains™ (MWOT-B™) and the 3rd Annual Christmas Model Train display to Greenville. We thank them for allowing us to create this dream in the heart of the West End Historic District.”

Ruby also stated that “the Christmas Display will most likely open first on November 30th with the Miniature World of Trains™ Beta opening two weeks later.”

PROJECT OVERVIEW

MWOT™ will do this using a miniature world of model trains, vehicles, ships and planes! All in a fun, family friendly, entertaining and educational environment. The museum area will have interactive displays showing the history of transportation with hands on activities, “how to”, do it yourself (DIY), classes, a media library and a railroad history museum with full size and scale transportation equipment will be located both inside and outside the facility.

MWOT™ will showcase that in addition to simply moving people and freight, trains are powerful catalysts for local and national economic growth. They are also an instrumental part of the American story, connecting towns and cities, employing thousands, and supporting local businesses and communities nationwide.

Railroading is part of America’s story from a presidential candidate campaigning across the country, to people traveling to work or for a vacation, trains take us where we need to go. Trains move the bulk of the products we all use everyday. Trains have also inspired more than 900 American songs, dating as far back as 1828.

From big cities to small towns, coast to coast, trains matter because they keep America’s towns, economies and communities connected to one another and with the world. The Miniature World of Trains™ will showcase transportation history from the early 1900′s until today. The museum will do this via educational and interactive prototype and miniature displays of Transportation vehicles such as ships, airplanes, trucks, automobiles and railroads. A small railroad history and toy train history area will be located in this museum to complement the Miniature World of Trains™.

The MWOT™ project will have an estimated $2.5M economic impact in its first full year of operation after the beta location. The project has the potential of drawing from 100,000 to 250,000 visitors in its first full year and one million visitors by year five.

MWOT™ will feature the largest most technically advanced HO (1/87th) Scale Model Railroad in North America to demonstrate how goods are transported around the world via the Miniature World of Trains™ (MWOT™).

MWOT™ will use computerized and digitally controlled systems to operate hundreds of trains and moving vehicles, thousands of people and trees and hundreds of buildings.

All will be modeled to the highest quality and standards. MWOT™ will show how transportation and city infrastructures work together. How products are created from raw materials into the products we all use and how these products get from one place to another everyday, worldwide!

WHAT’S NEXT

Construction of the Miniature World project will start within the next 30 days with rehab of the building interior to the MWOT-B™ configuration. The MWOT-B™ exhibit will take about five months to create with the help of 250 volunteers from around the USA!

MWOT-B™ will feature a large city scene with high rise buildings, some buildings recreating structures that no longer exist in Downtown Greenville, including the old Southern Railroad Greenville Depot. A large roundhouse and engine servicing facility that will be represent Norfolk Southern’s Heritage Day in Spencer, North Carolina, a Saluda Grade type mountain rail line, small amusement park complete with operating rides that include an operating roller coaster and a scale 15 story Ferris Wheel as well as an Appalachian Mountain scene with three levels of track including a narrow gauge line. The mountain area will have scenery that reaches from the floor up to 12 feet high!

In addition there will be moving vehicles, lighted buildings, thousands of miniature trees and people. 40 computerized trains will traverse the display throughout each day as well.

The Transportation Museum of the World “Mini Museum”™ will feature prototype railroading and model railroading memorabilia including a 7 1/2″ scale Pacific Locomotive that is twelve feet long!

The MWOT-B™ model train exhibit is the precursor to the larger, 60,000sf Miniature World of Trains™ featuring the Transportation Museum of the World™ scheduled to begin construction in 2015 at a yet to be announced location in the Greenville Area.

At the time of this press release local and national sponsors have included Hubbell Lighting, Lowes, Home Depot, Progressive Printing, Steve White Volkswagen/Audi, Chick-Fil-A, Hardees, Mellow Mushroom, Mimi’s Cafe, City Range, Cooper River Grill, Air Wolf, Music In Motion, AMRGroup LLC, Dash Systems and Woodcraft.

The Miniature World of Trains™ project is seeking additional corporate monetary donations to meet our pre-construction cash goal of $100,000. Sponsorships and corporate collaboration are available. Construction materials donations are welcomed as well. Private donations are accepted and have been the life blood for the project over the last years and are still needed to help create the museum.

Donations can be made online at: http://www.miniatureworldoftrains.com/DonationForm2.html

Additional volunteers to help build and staff the Miniature World of Trains™ are needed as well.

More details on the Miniature World Of Trains™ featuring the Transportation Museum of the World’s “Mini Museum”™ can be found at www. MiniatureWorldofTrains.com Additional events and information will be added to the website frequently.

In addition, enthusiasts and visitors are invited to share why model and prototype railroading matter via the Miniature World of Trains™ website petition, or on Facebook or Tweeter.

Frank Ruby also stated he “would like to thank all of the volunteers and donors, both private and corporate, that have keep the project alive since 2009. Finally the Miniature World of Trains™ has a home in a great, highly visible location that will only mean success for us as we move forward.”